Typographic machine



IF. w. LETSCH.-

TYPOGRAPHIC MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18. I916- RENEWED 05c. 2B. 1929.

1,392,017. Pammdse t. 27,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

25 to form the word, number, or other group of characters desired. The matrices are then clamped against a mold and a logotype WUNIS'TED STATES rare-NT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. LETSCH, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

TYPOGRAPHIG MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. Larson,

. a citizen of the United States,"and a resident of the city ofBaltimore, State of Maryland,

have invented certain new and useful Im-' limited number of matrix bars each containa in a full assortment of the character-erequlred in the work for whichthe machine s adapted. A keyboard is (operated,.f-as is usual in typographic machines, and the 1111- mediate effect of such operation is to move forward. pins in a plate corresponding to the respective characters of the keys operated' The pin plate is. then moved under the matrix bars and the matrix bars are lowered until they are broughtto rest by their respective projected pins, thus bringing into line characters on the several matrix bars is cast, after which the matrices are distributed by raising the matrix bars to their normal position and the operation maybe re eated.

be present invention relates more particularly to an automatic means for ad usting the mold to correspond to thenumber of characters in the logotype. In the particular style of machine referred to the matrix bars are. of uniform thickness throughout and the matrices have faces of substantially uniform width so that the type on the logotypes'are equally spaced from center to center. This equality in the matrix faces admitsof the automatic adjustment of the width of the mold in the manner about to be described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of portion ofa logotype machine embodying the invention; I

Fig. 2 is a plan partly in section'on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3'is a side elevation of the portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1, parts being broken away;

Fig 4 is a section on the line H of Fig. 1;

Specification of Lettersiatent. Patented Sept. 27, 1921. Application filed July 18, 1916, Serial No. 109,955.

Renewed December 28, 1920. Serial No. 433,740.

. ig. 5 is a section on the line- 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 illustrates the scale for setting the block; and

The machine is rovided with a suitable key-board K, a mo (1 M and matrix bars B. The mold comprises upperand lower sec trons 20, 21, an end gate 22, and a body piece 23. During the casting operation the end gate closes the left end of the mold l) and the body piece closes the right end of the mold, the body piece being adjustable to vary the width of the mold openin and also being movable through the mo d to e ect the logotype when the end gate is raised, after the casting operation.

The present invention comprises means for automatically setting the body piece in accordance with the width of the logoty to be cast. This isaccomplished by the following mechanism. A space key 24 is carried by a rocking lever 25 and the keys 26 of thekey-board overlie the space key so that (Fig.

it acts as a universal barcausing the lever of lever 27 iscOnnected by a link 29 with a lever 30 (Flg. 2). The lever,27 is normally held in the osition shown in Fig. 3.by a sprin 31 'w liich'. thus holds the universal bar or space key 24 in its elevated position. The lever 30 is pivoted to a bracket at 32 and its ri ht end engages an opening 33 in a vertically sliding block 34. Pivotally mounted on the block 34 is a moving pawl 35 and above it on a fixed pivot is ilholding pawl 36, both'being, spring pressed ormally into engagement with a vertically sliding ratchet bar 37 provided with ratchet teeth on its forward edge. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the ratchet bar 37 has perforated lugs 38 throughwhich' slides a rod '39. Upon the rod 39 is a fixed collar 40 which is nor.- mally held against the upper/lug 38 by means of a coiled sprin 4-1, sa1 's ring encircling the rod and end supported on the lower lug 38.

aving its ower Supported on the rod 39 is a vertically I gage block act as stops for the slide 45 which moves the body piece 23, the slide 45 being 1 1g. 1s a section on the line 77 of .pDiece to eject the cast slug from the mold uring this operation the stepped gage block 44 is adjusted vertically to bring t e proper Step opposite the abutment 46 to regulate the width of the mold for the next logotype and when the'slide 44 is returned to its right hand position the abutment 46 contacts with the selected step of the gage and the parts remain in this position until the next logotype is cast. The slide 45 may be operated in any suitable manner.- As

shown, it is moved by an arm 47 operated.

periodically by a cam or other suitable means.

The operation of setting the stepped gage block is as follows: As the keys correspond ing to the letters of a given logotype are successively depressed, the pawl 35 is moved up and down, raising the ratchet bar 37 step by step, thebar being'prevented from receding by the holding pawl 36. During this time the stepped block 44 may be in an elevated position and retained by the abutment 46. If the rod 39 engages the gage block while it is locked, the rod will remain stationary while the ratchet bar 37 may continue to rise. Upon the release of the gage block the spring 41 will carry the rod 39 and the gage block to the position determined by the elevation of the ratchet bar and the abutment 46 will then move into engagement with the gage block and hold the. body piece in position to cast the next logotype. If the rod 39 does not extend up to the gage block when the latter is released, it will drop by gravity onto the rod 39 and thus be positioned for the succeeding line. thus follows that when the keys have'been operated for a given logotype the step block will be adjusted until the step correspondng to the width of the proposed logotype is opposite the abutmentor projection 46 and the body piece will be adjusted accordingly.

During the casting operation the pawls 2?, 36 are withdrawn from the ratchet bar position as shown in Fig. 3.

The operation of the key-board to roduce the next logotype may then procee immediately, while the previously indicated logotype is being cast. The pawls are withdrawn from the ratchet by means of a sliding bar 48 (Figs. 1 and 2) which has a cam 49 on its right end adapted to cotiperate with a roller 50 pivotally mounted in a yoke '51 which is connected with .or is a part of the pawl 36. The lower end of pawl 36 engages a finger 52 on the moving awl 35 and the pawls'arethus simultaneous y withdrawn from the ratchet bar.

permitting the bar'to drop to its lowest 4 53 (Figs. -1 and 2) is a projection 54 which engages the horizontal arm of an elbow lever 55 when the matrix frame is lowered. The vertical arm of this lever 55 engages pins on the sliding bar 48 and the bar is moved to the right each time that'the matrix frame is moved down, thus withdrawing the pawls 35, 36, and permitting the ratchet bar 37 to drop. The elbow lever 55 is preferably provided with a roller 56 to contact with the pro'ection 54.

1V y invention is particularly designed to operate in conjunction with the various parts of the machine described in my pending application above referred to. In said application there are two pin-plates, one of which is controlling the assembling of the matrix to readjust the stepped block by the manipulation of the keys for the succeeding logo type. Aftera logotype is cast the matrix bars are raised and then lowered. In this interval the stepped block is released.

It is sometimes desirable to cast duplicate logotypes, that is, to make two or more castings from the same assemblage of matrices. To accomplish this, means (not shown) are provided for preventing distribution of the matrices, or returning the matrices to the same position after the first logotype is cast. Means are also provided for preventing movement of the gage block While a series of duplicate logotypes are being cast. As shown in the drawlng, these means comprise a rod 60, the lower end of which is connected to the ratchet bar 37 while the upper end is rovided with a clamping device to hold it in any fixed relation to the stationary frame 61 in which it is mounted. As shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 7 the rod 60 slides vertically in a slot or recess and at its upper end it is provided w'th a thumb screw 62 which clamps the plate 63 on the face of the frame of the machine and clamps the rod 60 in any desired position. The plate 63 is provided with an index mark 64 and the column or frame in which the part 60 slides is provided with graduations 65 which cooperate with the index 64 to provide for accurate adjustment of the gage block. The

numberson the scale 65 may index the respective numbers of characters in logotypes of different lengths.

- It will be understood that all of the'op-- I rices, of means for assembling selected matrices in groups to register with the mold for casting logotypes, a keyboard, a body piece, and means controlled by the keyboard for adjusting the body piece automatically to position to regulate the body widthsofthe respective logotypes.

,2. In a typographic machine, the combination with a mold having a body piece movable to adjust the mold opening, of matrices, -a keyboard for selecting matrices,

means for assembling matrices in groups, to cooperate 'wlth the A mold, and means controlled by the keyboard for adjusting the body piece in accordance with the groups of matrices selected.

3. In a typographic machine, the combination with amold having. an adjustable body piece, of a keyboard, a series of matrix bars of uniform width, means controlled by the operation of the keyboard for assem-.

bling matrices in groups, and means operated from the keyboard for adjusting the body piece in accordance with the number of matrix bars selected.

4. In a typographic machine, the combination with a mold and a plurality of matrices, of means for assembling matrices in selected groups to register with the mold for casting logotypes, a keyboard, a body piece, means controlled by the keyboard for adj usting the body piece automatically to position to regulate the body widths of the respective logotypes, and manually operated means for holding the body piece in any position to which it has been adjusted, for the purpose described.

5. In a typographic machine, the combination with a mold having an adjustable body'piece, of a keyboard, and means for adjusting the body piece from thekeyboard comprising auniversal bar, a stepped block, a ratchet and pawl device for adjusting said block, and means for causing the block to act as a gage for the body piece.

6. In a typographic machine, the combination with"a mold having a body piece and matrices to cooperate with the 'mold, of a keyboard, a stepped gage block, means for \adjusting the block in accordance with the number of keys operated to compose a given line of characters, the body piece being adjusted by contact with said block.

7. In a typographic machine, the combination with a mold having a body piece, a

pluralit of matrices and a key-board, of.

means or adjusting the body piece according to the operation of the key-board comprlsing a ratchet bar, a gage block, and a yielding member carried by the ratchet bar and oIperating upon the gage block.

8. n a typographic machine, the combination with a mold having a body piece, and niatrices to cooperate with the mold, of a gage block for adjusting the mold automatically after each operation, and means for setting said gage block for the respective lines of type to be cast comprising a ratchet bar, and a rod yieldingly supported by the ratchet bar and adapted to support the gage block.

9. In. a typographic machine, the combination with a mold having a body piece, and matrices to cooperate with the mold, of a gage. block for adjusting the mold automatically after each operation, and means for settlng said gage block for the respective lines of type to'be cast comprising a ratchet bar, and a rod yieldingly supported by the ratchet bar and adapted to support the gage block, said rod being adapted to slide i guides attached to the ratchet bar.

10. In a typographic machine, the combination with a mold and a body iece of a stepped gage block for limitin t e adjustment of the body piece, a 1'0 supporting said gage block but disconnected therefrom, a ratchet bar, a spring supporting the rod yieldably on the ratchet bar, a key-board and connections from the key-board for operating said ratchet bar. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. 

